A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Moss calls time on glittering career
AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Record-setting wide receiver Randy Moss is retiring after 13 seasons in the National Football League seasons, his agent said yesterday. The 34-year-old Moss, who holds the record for The 34-year-old Moss, who holds the record for the most touchdown catches in a NFL season and the most by a rookie, had considered playing on but decided it was time to call it quits.
After weighing his options and contemplating offers, he’s decided to retire, his agent, Joel Segal, told ESPN.
Moss played most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, but also played with the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots and the Tennessee Titans.
An instant success, the 6ft 4in speedster scored 17 touchdowns in his rookie season, while in 2007, while playing for the Patriots, he caught a record 23 touchdown passes.
Elite amatuers can ditch headguards
BOXING:Elite male amateur boxers will no longer be required to wear headguards after the launch of the International Boxing Association's (AIBA) Professional Boxing (APB) Programme in 2013.
World amateur officials yesterday announced at a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, they will be setting up APB pro boxing divisions at world, European and national level.
The worldwide APB division will feature the top 20 boxers in each weight category, fighting over 10 rounds for ranking competitions and 12 rounds for titles.
The continental division will feature boxers ranked from 21-50 in each weight category, fighting over eight rounds for ranking and 12 for titles.
And the national division will feature boxers ranked 51 and below in each weight category, fighting over six rounds for ranking and 10 for titles.
Headguards will remain in women’s, youth and junior categories.
Ireland leave it late again as Hall clinches vital win
CRICKET: An element of Groundhog Day is fast becoming the theme of the Ireland Under-19 team's bid for World Cup qualification as they sealed a vital two-wicket victory over Kenya in Rathmines yesterday, writes Emmet Riordan.
Yet again the game went down to the final over, as have their previous three, with Waringstown’s Josh Hall again scoring the winning runs as Ireland chased down a target of 223 with three balls to spare against the Africans.
In securing their third victory in four games, it was Ireland’s batting strength that dug them out of a hole after they were reduced to 88 for six in the 30th over.
Shane Getkate (63) and Graeme McCarter (51) shared a vital seventh-wicket stand of 81, while McCarter and Barry McCarthy (26 not out) tagged on 36 for the eighth.
McCarter went at the end of the 47th over after just making his half-century, with Ireland left requiring 18 off the final three overs. McCarthy levelled matters with the second boundary of his innings before Hall drove the third ball of the final over through the covers to seal another tense victory.
The win leaves Ireland on six points alongside Nepal, Namibia and Scotland, although their net run rate puts them fourth in the table. They will have a chance to improve that when they take on Vanuatu in Coleraine tomorrow as the tournament moves to the north west. The top six sides qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia.
OCI reiterates their A standard policy
ATHLETICS: The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) has reiterated its "A standard only" selection policy for next year's London Olympics, and dismissed speculation that some athletes that achieve the less difficult B standards might yet be considered, reports Ian O'Riordan.
OCI president Pat Hickey was adamant this policy would not change “in any way, shape or form” and that the agreement signed with Athletics Ireland this year would not be revisited.
“As previously announced, the OCI has a binding and mutually agreed contract with the athletics federation AAI to solely select A standard athletes for London,” said Hickey, “and this will not change in any way, shape or form.
“We are both absolutely and totally committed to A standards only. Our chef de mission, Sonia O’Sullivan, is fully behind this approach and the new high performance director for athletics, Kevin Ankrom, is also in full agreement.”
Back injuiry rules Safina out for season
TENNIS:Former world number one Dinara Safina will not play again this year because of persistent back pain. "I'm sorry to report that my back is still acting up and I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year," said the Russian yesterday.
The 25-year-old, who has not played since early May, will miss her third successive Grand Slam tournament – the US Open – after also pulling out of the French Open and Wimbledon and has recently sounded pessimistic about her return to the main tour.
“I don’t know how long my time out is going to last because I don’t want to torture myself and my body anymore,” Safina was quoted as saying by Russian media.
After missing much of last year, she made a comeback at the Australian Open in January but suffered an embarrassing 6-0 6-0 defeat by Kim Clijsters in the opening round and soon after contemplated quitting the sport.
IRB pay tribute to the late Albert Farrasse
RUGBY: THE International Rugby Board (IRB) has expressed its sadness in learning that former chairman Albert Farrasse has passed away at the age 93, writes Gerry Thornley.
Farrasse served twice as IRB chairman, in 1980 and 1987, IRB council member between 1979 and 1992, and was instrumental in the introduction of World Cup, and indeed presented the first trophy to All Blacks captain David Kirk after the 1987 final in Eden Park.
A French championship winner with Agen in 1945 before becoming a renowned international referee, Farrasse also served as French Rugby Federation president.
IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “A man of great stature, Albert Farrasse’s contribution to French, European and world rugby was massive. He was a visionary, a pioneer and a great champion of the game and its values and his passing will be mourned throughout the rugby family.”
Red Bull have concerns - Button
FORMULA ONE: Jenson Button believes Red Bull’s early-season invincibility is crumbling heading into the summer break.
McLaren have won three of the last five grands prix, with Button book-ending those with victories in Canada and in Hungary on Sunday as he celebrated his 200th F1 race in style.
After starting the season with five wins in the opening six races from Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull have taken the flag just once in the last five, with their crown of superiority having slipped.
“We’ve really taken the fight to Red Bull after everyone thought they would be untouchable,” said Button, who is fifth in the drivers’ championship.
“We’re now up there with them in qualifying, and in a race we can have them with strategy, the right calls and by having a good car. They should be worried.”
